»Small« Princes in the Holy Roman Empire. Structural Constraints and Social Practices through the Ages (1300-1800): The »small« princes of the Late Middle Ages and the Early Modern Period had the same rank as the great and powerful princes, but they often had points in common with the imperial counts or the lower nobility concerning the economic and political resources. Regarding the »small« princes, the volume illustrates their scope for action and constraints on the basis of case studies from the 14th to 18th centuries and asks for the heuristic value of »greatness« or »smallness« in the context of the princely community.